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An election in Virginia was decided this morning by luck. Luck of the draw, specifically. The race between Republican David Yancey and Democrat Shelly Simonds for the Virginia House of Delegates was tied after a recount. So, today the State Board of Elections put their names in a bowl and pulled out the name of the winner: incumbent Yancey.

The news around this unorthodox way to pick an elected official got the KUT Newsroom wondering: What would happen if there were a tie in Texas?

KUT’s Ben Philpott talked with Laura Rice. He says the state Constitution addresses the issue in two ways; depending on the type of election in question.

In a state House or Senate race, a tied result triggers an automatic recount. If there’s still a tie after the recount, another election is held within 30 days. If the new election is tied, Philpott says, there would be a “casting of lots” – which is what happened in Virginia, minus the second election part.